I guess what surprises me is that this has not changed since the early 80's (when I was there for a very short visit). For some reason I thought corruption like this (I consider it corruption if not at least unfair business practices) had all changed when the Soviet Union broke up into its constituent republics. I'm sorry to hear it has not.


>>
>>I have been sadly misinformed. I thought that the requirement to get permission to work in Moscow (and other locations) was dissolved during the restructuring process of your country? I guess the internal operations of the country have not actually changed that much then?
>>
>
>Hi Tracy,
>
>Russia is separated on two parts - Moscow and other rest of the country. All money, main businesses, head quarts are settled in Moscow. Moscow local authorities call themselves as Moscow's GOVERNMENT :). Russia is a huge country, but that is impossible to have business with foreign countries from your local city, because you can do it cheaper in Moscow (bribes there less than official taxes). And Moscow protects their market. May be for me easy to find job in the US, than in Moscow :) But I can pay bribe to some people in that Moscow's GOVERNMENT and buy this right for working (but I am afraid to do it). In advertisements for working in Moscow they always write - job only for people who has Moscow's "PROPISKA" (special permission to live in Moscow).
>I could read your autobiography and you visited Russia some years ago, so you know what I am talking about :) Bureaucrats mostly the same (may be only some of them are getting younger, or previously bureaucrats sons and daughters) like it was in communist's regime :(.
>But that is my PERSONAL opinion, because we have the Low according which we could not criticize our President and Government :(